The Top 5 Reasons To See 'Battleship'

Sure, the boys get to ogle over a pair of stunning superstars in this flick, but fear not female filmgoers: you’ll get a triple threat of masculinity in "Battleship." First, there’s star Taylor Kitsch, who began as a model for Diesel and Abercrombie & Fitch. Anyone who has posed for those clothing companies surely has a body worthy of worship, and there’s plenty of opportunities for you to stare at him in his crisp Navy getup and shirtless as well.

Then there’s "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgard – the object of many women’s fantasies – who plays Kitsch’s older, more responsible brother and brings the same intensity to this role that he does as vampire Eric Northman. This is his biggest film to date, and that’ll probably be more than enough to coax girlfriends’ more interested in seeing "What to Expect When You’re Expecting" into a showing.

Finally, global box office champ Liam Neeson has a small but important role in the film as the aforementioned Admiral Shane, and while his muscles are a bit past the point of being gawked at, we’ll be damned if he doesn’t look good in a uniform
.Pump Up the Volume

Perhaps more than any other summer blockbuster this year, you need to hear "Battleship" as much as you need to see it. Between executive music supervisor Rick Rubin’s (one of the founding fathers of hip-hop and greatest producers of all time) spot-on song choices, composer Steve Jablonsky’s rousing score and a team of sound effects scientists, you’ll be floored by the film’s assault on your eardrums.

Rubin selects hard-hitting classic rock tracks from the likes of AC/DC and ZZ Top to energize the audience, while Jablonsky – who’s no stranger to making original music for $200 million properties like "Transformers" and "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" – plays up the patriotism with exciting progressions and raises the fear factor with alarming motifs. Overall it’s a complete 360 degree audio experience and deserves to be listened to as LOUD as possible.

A Salute to America’s Heroes Young and Old

Director Peter Berg ("Hancock") has been very vocal about his support and respect for the Armed Forces, but he takes that esteem to a whole new level in this action epic. Not only does he include active duty Naval officers in "Battleship," he gets the vets involved, too. Without spoiling too much, we’ll just say that the greatest generation of military champions returns to an iconic vessel to save the day at the climax of the flick - a nostalgic nod to those who gave so much for our country so long ago.BIG GUNS

Throughout the summer you’re going to see some impressive artillery. "The Avengers" boasted plenty of hi-tech weaponry when it broke box office records. Bullets are gonna fly when "The Expendables 2" shoots its way into theaters. But "Battleship" brings a truly mind blowing display of firepower to the masses. The destructive force of the canons that the U.S.S. John Paul Jones and, later, the U.S.S. Missouri, are equipped with are astonishing, and the aliens ship’s various armaments are equally devastating as they rip through naval fleets and cities infrastructure. Pitted against one another, the result is an explosive spectacle worthy of box office dominance.

The Girls of Summer

Sexy ladies and big-budget action tent poles go hand in hand, so you shouldn’t be surprised to find two of the most beautiful women on the planet in "Battleship." But don’t call either of them damsels in distress.

Rihanna brings the best of female empowerment to the U.S.S. John Paul Jones as Petty Officer Raikes, a weapons specialist who personally blasts a bunch of alien invaders to holy hell. Not only does she get up close and personal with an E.T. while engaging in hand to hand combat as she defends her commanding officer (Taylor Kitsch, more on him later), she frequently pulls her fellow crewman out of hairy situations throughout the flick. From start to finish Ri is positively bad-ass, and again proves that men aren’t the only heroes in Hollywood.

While the songstress does her things out at sea, model-turned-actress Brooklyn Decker (above) plays an important role in the campaign. Her character Sam Shane, a military physical therapist and daughter of a high-ranking Naval Admiral, is wholly unprepared for the attack when she’s working with a patient in a remote area of a Hawaiian island, but rises to the challenge and helps foil the extraterrestrial’s plans. Her bravery is absolutely admirable, especially considering the fact that she’s a civilian.

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Six years ago, Kelly Rowland released her fourth studio album titled Talk a Good Game. The project boasted hit singles like "Kisses Down Low" and the transparent "Dirty Laundry." Now, the Houston native is preparing to release a project that'll surely satisfy fans' patient earbuds.

In an interview with Billboard, Rowland shared her hopes for putting out a new body of work and the pressure that she's encountered since she's been in the studio. "This is by far the longest, most pressure-filled process ever, only because I know what it's supposed to be and I have been so hard on myself. I know it," she said. "And it's the first time I've said it out loud. I've been extremely hard on myself. But it's definitely coming, and I'm more so excited about this project than anything else."

The news follows the recent release of Rowland's "Kelly" track, which was met with critical acclaim in November 2018. In addition to preparing the release of new music, the "Motivation" singer discussed fans' wish for a Destiny's Child reunion. The rumors have been fueled by social media photographs of Rowland with either Beyonce or Michelle or all three, especially during Beyonce's past Coachella performance. But Rowland assures readers that it's not what they think.

"It's so funny. I guess every time people see us together, they just see music but I see sisterhood, and that's what we are and that's what me, her, Michelle [Williams] and Solange and I are. People see us all together, they immediately think music. I'm like, no. Just family." As Rowland previously mentioned Solange, she hopes to one day work with her again.

"I'm a huge fan," she said. "I love her writing and how detailed and particular she is. I always wanted to figure out how the heck she has so many different layers of harmonies when she is constructing these vocals, and it's so complex but simple. It's genius. It's the genius in her genius mind that she has in there." One of the last times the pair collaborated was on Rowland's "Simply Deep" track off her debut solo album of the same name. Solange also penned a few songs off the same project. Fast forward to 2016, and Rowland's vocals were featured on Solange's iconic A Seat at the Table.

Teyana Taylor aims to keep her hot streak of innovative videos coming thanks to this recent announcement. Taking to Instagram on Wednesday (Jan. 9), the "Gonna Love Me" singer will show adoration to ballroom culture in the visual for "WTP."

Directed by Gregory "Beef" Jones, The Aunties Inc., and Taylor herself, the Harlemite takes viewers on her journey to the expression-filled space where she hopes to rack up 10s across the board from a group of judges. The premise of the video also seems to follow a mockumentary format airing on a fictional network named FEMTV. Alongside Taylor, other men and women get ready to display their talents and confidence on the ballroom floor.

"WTP" is featured on the mother-of-one's sophomore album, K.T.S.E., which was released in June 2018. While the rollout's controversy didn't entirely muddle the excitement behind the project's debut, Taylor said she was sold on the idea that her album would be treated as the biggest out of G.O.O.D. Music's string of releases last year.

"I didn't know ahead of time that there wouldn't be any singles or visuals. But I knew that it was going to be the five-album thing," she said during a HOT 97 interview. "[Kanye] wanted [my album] to be last, he wanted mine to be the biggest. That's the way they sauced it up. I was sold."

Gabe Solis, the ex-husband of Trina Braxton, lost his battle with cancer, Thursday (Dec. 20), TMZ reports. He was 43.

Solis passed away at his home in Texas, surrounded by friends and family, according to the outlet. No official details have been released about his passing.

Solis had reportedly been keeping his cancer battle private. His death came as a shock to his loved ones. On Friday (Dec. 21), Braxton seemingly mourned the loss of her ex-husband with a cryptic Instagram meme reading, “I need a hug..E bottle of wine.”

The former couple tied the knot in 2003, and appeared together on previous seasons of WEtv’s Braxton Family Values. Despite finalizing their divorce in 2015, Braxton and Solis confronted lingering issues from their marriage during an episode of Iyanla: Fix My Life, earlier in the year.

Braxton has since moved on to a new relationship, but remained friends with Solis.